Agenda item

The Committee will receive a report on the Dementia Strategy Review.

The Committee received a very informative update report on the dementia Strategy.  Following the establishment of the Dementia Partnership Board in 2012, the Board had established two additional sub-groups; Dementia User Engagement sub-group and the Dementia Training and Education sub-group.

The Dementia User Engagement sub-group enabled members of the Board to engage with and hear directly from users and carers about their experiences of the service.  The group used existing forums such as the Dementia Café organised by the Alzheimer’s Society.  The Dementia Training and Education sub-group played a key role in coordinating all dementia training provided within the borough.

The Committee noted that the Dementia Partnership Board adopted a strategic and integrated approach to overseeing implementation of the National Dementia Strategy.  The Dementia Programme Manager, which was jointly funded by the Council and Havering CCG, coordinated and supported the work of the Board.  The Board had agreed that the local pathway be streamlined and had four stages:

Prevention and Identification (linked to objective 1 of the national strategy)

This focused on improving public and professional awareness and understanding of dementia.  Officers stated that it had been agreed to establish a Dementia Action Alliance for Havering.  This was based on a national scheme, and involved engaging with local businesses, emergency and transport services in working together to become “dementia friendly” organisations.  Officers stated that the ultimate aim was for Havering to become a “dementia friendly” borough.

Assessment and diagnosis (linked to objective 2 of the national strategy)

The NHS Mandate (2013-2015) between the Government and the NHS Commissioning Board set out the ambitions for the health service. This included all areas to achieve a dementia diagnosis rate of 66% for their population by 2015.  The dementia diagnosis rate in Havering, based on data from 2011/12 was 39%.  At the time there were 1332 people on the GP Dementia Register, and the forecasted number of people was 3419.  As the population in Havering was ageing, and the prediction of increased incidence of dementia, an action plan had been put in place.  Various steps were being taken, including the CCG working with Public Health to establish any gaps between anticipated prevalence and those people recorded on GP registers.

Living well with dementia (linked to objectives 3-11 of the national strategy)

Age Concern was commissioned by Havering CCG to provide the Dementia Advisory Service.  The Advisory Service provided a pre and post diagnosis support and advice service, which was person centred.  In 2012/13 the service was provided to 1435 people and the total number of people registered on the service database was 2680.  The Alzheimer’s Society also delivered information provision in the local community including schools, and providing people with early access to relevant information.  They were also commissioned by the London Borough of Havering to provide a peer support service and function.

Officers stated that there had been a gap identified in intermediate care for people with dementia, and this had been included in the draft Implementation Plan as an area which required consideration and further work.

End of Life Care (linked to objective 12 of the national strategy)

In Havering, a local End of Life Steering Group had been established, and as part of its work would seek to identify and address the needs of people with dementia and their carers within the work of the group.  A new Gold Standard Framework training commenced in January 2014 and was available to care home staff, domiciliary care providers and GPs via the local Steering Group.

Members asked about the Dementia Partnership Board and the representatives who sat on it.  Officers explained that it was chaired by the Dementia GP Clinical Lead at Havering CCG, with officers from CCG and Commissioning (ASC) in attendance. The Committee requested sight of the minutes of the Board.  The Head of Adult Social Care agreed to pass the request onto the CCG. It was suggested that the report should also be sent to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

A member asked for information about how banks and insurance companies treat people with memory problems and dementia, and were there any policies in place to deal with people with early onset dementia who still had a mortgage on their property.  Officers agreed to investigate this area and feedback to the Committee.